Shusoran
by Black Sword
Summary: The Layan kingdom of Shusoran holds many questions and many answers within its castle's walls.
1. Chapter 1

"I would never want to attack this place," Rhys said, his eyes wary as they constantly moved, on the alert for danger.

"Why's that? Afraid of the big bad Layans?" Lyle mocked, his staff over his shoulders as he casually walked beside the Orakian prince.

"Of course not," Rhys said tightly as he walked on the balls of his feet. "In front of the main wall is that line of fausse brays and detached bastions. You told me all the city is the same way all around, right? That means there are eight of those things, altogether. They can outflank any force that goes at them from any angle. They don't even have to get close to rip an army to shreds."

Rhys moved his right hand, his only free appendage as his left was busy holding his new cloak in place to conceal his sword. "From what I've seen, the whole town is laid out in a grid. No alleys, but each intersection means another place to get ambushed. The Layans can move their forces quickly from place to place, circle around and defeat an enemy piecemeal. And just as if it wasn't bad enough, look at all those inner balconies. Each one perfect for raining fire, arrows, and slicers on intruders who won't have any cover. This whole damnable city is a death trap!"

Lyle looked around his hometown. The wide cobblestone streets were indeed laid out in a perfect grid, each block composed of a number of outward-facing whitewashed houses packed right up against each other. Metal grates hung over the windows and recesses on the second floor of each house created a shaded balcony where flowers and herbs could be grown. Pleasant curtains were drawn over the glass windows as eyes peeked out before the coverings were restored. So far as Lyle was concerned, Shusoran was the most beautiful city of Aquatica, and beat Landen all hollow.

That didn't make it any less of a death trap for invading armies, but at least it was an aesthetically pleasing death trap.

"I never would have expected a hothead like you to notice stuff like that."

Landen's prince grunted. "My father is a master soldier. I took warfare in with my mother's milk. Don't you think you're being a little _too _nonchalant?"

He shrugged. "If we get chased by monsters, I promise to scream like a little girl the whole time."

"As the only girl present, I object to that."

"You're a cyborg," Lyle reminded Mieu.

"I'm a female _android, _just as feminine as any other girl, and I don't scream at the sight of monsters."

"So if I try to—"

"If you finish that sentence, Lyle, I'll help Mieu cut your hands off."

"I wouldn't cut his _hands _off, Prince."

Lyle held his hands up and grinned at them both. Wren's metallic boots clop as the big cyborg marched up the stone road in front of them, the diligent vanguard of their party. Mieu tensed when they passed one of Shusoran's public parks. Her blue eyes were intent on the gigantic rose buds planted around the park's edge as she silently put herself between the park and the party. Tough green roots supported a bud as large as a tall man's torso with the smooth petals that were a pleasant pink. She did not relax her vigilance until they were past the park and surrounded by houses again. Trust a thousand year old cyborg to recognize Irisa.

They continued in silence through the seemingly abandoned town. It filled him with pride that his people had obeyed the order to hide themselves in plain sight like this. The goal (well, one of them) had been to create a tense atmosphere to test Landen's prince, to scratch at the mask royals wore to look at the man beneath. Lyle hated to admit it, but so far, Rhys seemed to be unmoved by neither the Orakian hatred for Layans nor the creepiness of the ghost town. No property damage, no fear, nothing. Just determination.

It was that stubborn quality that made him infuriating, yet likable.

"Master Rhys, the castle gate is closed," Wren announced.

Holy Laya's red symbol on its field of white was on proud display on the gate of Shusoran's castle gate. Similar to Agoe's gate, it was an unbreakable barrier that could blunt the worst violence any Layan could unleash, let alone the firepower of Agoe's paltry cyborgs. A large plaza held dozens of fountains where leather-winged dragons and pot-wielding maidens gushed water from the most likely openings, the tinkling sound a pleasant melody as the pipes pumped water from the distant sea for the beauty of the city. The whitewashed stone walls were not as sturdy, but still presented formidable barriers to any invader, be they armies or singular intruders like themselves.

"Mieu, will your drop of blood trick work here?" Rhys asked.

Red hair shifted a bit as Mieu shook her head. "Unfortunately, it only took one fallen fortress for Laya to realize her danger from Orakio's blood. All the gate mechanisms were ripped out of Laya's holdings not even a week into the start of the war."

Tension left his body as his shoulders relaxed from the unconscious tautness they had assumed. Just because no one could take Shusoran did not mean Lyle wanted Orakians breezily walking into the castle. Who knew what sort of mischief they could cause?

"Do you suppose there's another way in?" Rhys asked as he stared at the gate with the look of a starving man whose meal was just out of reach.

"What are you thinking?" Lyle asked.

"A secret passage or escape of some kind. Just because this city is hard to take doesn't mean a way out or two wouldn't come in handy."

"What if there isn't one?"

Rhys looked at Wren. "Do you think you could break down the wall if you had to?"

"Affirmative, Master Rhys. Do you wish me to do so?"

Mieu's dry response came before Lyle could do more than goggle at Rhys in amazement. "Perhaps it would be best if we avoided drawing attention to ourselves while in hostile territory, Prince."

Landen's prince growled. "What else are we supposed to do?"

"Well, there might be another way in," Lyle put in before the lack of a response convinced Rhys to break down the castle wall. Repairs were one expense the royal family didn't need!

"What are you thinking?" Rhys asked.

"Well, they say that monsters appear in the fountains of Shusoran. Perhaps they appear there because there's something under the fountain?"

"Like a secret passage?"

The excitement in Rhys' eyes worried Lyle. Was he so used to stories coming true that even Lyle's hastily concocted tale made sense?

"Well, maybe," Lyle replied. "Let's find out. Why don't we start from the first one and work our way down?"

Shusoran's castle, like her sister castle in the kingdom of Cille, did indeed possess a secret passage. These had been installed under the fountains for silent entry and exit. Whoever had designed the layout of Shusoran had made sure that none of its citizens would be able to witness the secret from their homes. Normally, that would have limited the fountain's use to night, but since all of his people were at present hiding...

They arrived at the fountain farthest west in the plaza. Without waiting, Rhys jumped into the water and waded toward the center of the fountain, where a statue of a graceful woman stood, her expression serene as water gushed from four dragons that surrounded her. The young Orakian scowled at the dragons as he tentatively probed them, intent on finding a button or trigger.

After a few minutes, it was obvious Rhys was becoming impatient. He muttered, "If I were a Layan, where would I hide that damned button?"

"Probably the place a thick-headed Orakian would last look," Lyle said calmly from the fountain's edge.

"Very funny, Lyle. Come help me find it."

"Thank you, but I prefer staying dry." Did Rhys really expect him to help him break into the castle?

"This was your idea, so shouldn't you—" The Orakian prince stopped abruptly.

"Shouldn't I what?" Lyle asked, almost certain he knew why.

"There's something here," came the slow reply. "It's behind the dragons. It looks like the glyph on the castle gate."

"It might be the passage trigger," Mieu said thoughtfully. "That glyph was Laya's heraldric device during the war, the same way the sunburst was Orakio's, so whatever it is, it must be important."

"I'm going to push it," Rhys said determinedly. "Prepare yourselves."

For a moment, nothing happened. Without warning, the fountain began to shake. Rhys jumped back, a white blur as he somehow moved at top speed without any room to gain momentum. Suddenly, a section in front of the statue dropped. More of the pool bottom depressed as a spiral staircase quickly appeared and water flowed below. Lyle traded looks with Rhys.

"Guess this explains how monsters can appear from fountains," Rhys said finally. Then he grinned. "Let's go before they figure out that we figured it out."

"That was rather tautologous," Lyle observed as Wren stepped into the fountain and assumed the vanguard position.

"Doesn't matter. Maia's here, and we're finally going to save her," came Rhys' reply as he followed the black cyborg into the subterranean passage.

"Why are you so sure she'll be here?" Mieu asked as she followed her master into the darkness.

The reply was quick, sarcastic, and exasperated. "Well, who _else _could be the abducted girl the Agoen soldier saw be? Lena?"

A fit of coughing covered Lyle's amusement. _Now I wonder why he thought of Lena?_

When they reached the bottom of the stairwell, it was obvious they were in the dungeons. Without hesitation, he flipped the switch that reset the fountain exit. Rhys jumped at the sound and turned, ready to draw his sword. Lyle raised an eyebrow at the aggressive reaction. "No point going in the back door if someone spots the door is open and raises the alarm, don't you think?"

"Good point," Rhys replied with a smile. "I'm glad we met, Lyle. You're a good man to have covering my back.

Lyle pasted a smile on his face, but inwardly winced. What a thing to say! Hopefully, that sentiment would survive the upcoming trials.

Their progress through Shusoran's dungeons was swift, much quicker than what a group of complete strangers without guides should have been able to accomplish. Lyle suspected that was due to Wren, but he couldn't say how the black cyborg did it. It was also a quiet sojourn, as Rhys took to heart Mieu's warning that they not attract attention.

Not that it mattered. Despite the shortened trip, Lyle still got a good look at Rhys' fighting techniques. The first was a move to draw the sword. Rhys would lead with his right leg forward, crouch back on the left leg, his left hand on the scabbard and his right hand on the grip. Then the blade would fly out faster than lightning and cut the target in half. The second combined that blinding speed of his to charge forward at a speed that made Lyle wonder if Rhys did indeed have demon blood; no normal person could possibly be that fast. Demonspawn or not, once he completed that charge, Rhys would then draw his sword before the enemy could react and cut them in half.

Powerful moves, but not invincible. It was obvious Rhys depended on them heavily, but Lyle was confident he could stop the first move with ease. No mere sword could match the flexibility and power of the staff. Even if he used his charging attack, Lyle was certain he could stop it. While women would argue that men amongst each other did not accomplish anything, as a Layan warrior, he disagreed. There was no better test of a man's character than combat.

Besides, it was all part of the trap.

Mieu poked her head out of the door in front of them. "It seems this is the way to the castle proper. It's much nicer than the dungeons."

It was time, then.

"I have to leave you now, Prince Rhys. I'll explain why later, if things work out."

"What? Lyle!"

Howls echoed down the hall as Lyle ran from the party. It was fortunate that a pack of Fearmoos had been present. The hardier, more vicious versions of the normal Moos would keep Rhys busy long enough for Lyle to enact the next stage of his plan.

His run through the castle ended in the gardens. Unsure of how much time he had, Lyle called out, "Lena! Are you here?"

"Lyle?"

Just as he had expected, Lena No Satera was in the gardens. He grinned as she poked her head up from some bushes and walked over to him. The perplexed Orakian princess was in the traveling clothes she had worn when they had met, covered in dirt from head to toe from digging. Even though she was filthy, she was still an adorable brunette who definitely fit Rhys' preference for "full-figured" women.

"What is the matter? Why are you he—"

"No time," Lyle replied as he quickly slung the pretty brunette over his shoulder. Even with those curves of hers, Lena was still a relatively light burden. "Rhys is here and we have to go."

"Rhys is here?" she squeaked. "Wait! Lyle! I'm filthy! He can't see me like this! No! _Stop!_"

Women! There simply was not enough time for her to clean up just to soothe her vanity. The monsters loosed in the castle would drive Rhys toward the throne room, and they needed to beat him there for it to look convincing. Though Lyle was glad Lena didn't try to kick him while he was running. The fall would hurt them both.

Lyle felt a pang of sorrow when they arrived in the throne room. The throne of Shusoran was empty, her king recently deceased. The heir to the kingdom had not yet been crowned due to certain complications, not least of which was a certain vow to Holy Laya. Lyle set Lena down on the dais. "Sit here and try not to say anything."

"What? But Lyle—"

"Trust me," he said with a smirk.

"My mother once told me that whenever a man said that, it could only mean trouble," Lena replied dryly.

There was no more time. Rhys entered the throne room, his pet cyborgs at his heels. Wren fired a few more rounds into the corridor while the other two raced to close the twin doors. The black cyborg withdrew several steps while Rhys and Mieu closed the entrance. Landen's prince sagged against the doorway for a moment, a bit worse for wear from what had clearly been some hard fighting. Hopefully, they hadn't broken any of the treasures in the hallway during their skirmishes. Lyle glanced behind him and saw the positively radiant expression on Lena's face as she looked at Rhys. _Rhys really needs to pay attention to the things in front of him._

"It's her! How did she get here?"

Lyle snorted as he turned his full attention back to Rhys's dumbfounded expression. "I found her."

"Please help me take her away, Lyle!"

Did Rhys even hear the worry and concern in his voice? "If you want her back, fight for her!"

Lyle extended the loosely-clasped fingers of his left hand and gathered the mental energy for a Technique. He flung the fingers open and said a single word. "Foi!"

The fireball launched itself from the palm of his hand and struck the ground Rhys had stood on a moment before. You had to give the Orakian credit for speed.

"You're a Layan!" Rhys shouted, outraged.

"That's right," Lyle replied as he lightly spun his staff. "As a matter of fact, I'm Prince of Shusoran."

"You led us into a trap! What have you done to Lena?"

The accusatory tone did not make him feel good, but it was all part of the game. "Try to beat it out of me," came the taunt. "Let's see you really fight, Rhys! Foi!"

Once again, Landen's prince dodged the fireball attack, but Lyle had expected that and launched his next Technique at that blur of white. "Zan!"

Vicious tornadoes of razor wind formed within the throne room and quickly shredded the red carpet and Rhys' white cloak. Unfortunately, Lyle's eyes had tricked him; Rhys' cloak had gone in one direction, while the man himself had gone toward Lyle from a different angle. In a bit of good news, however, the move the Orakian used was the same high-speed draw technique Lyle had seen before. His staff moved quickly and parried the attack.

"I've seen all your moves! You won't be able to hit me with those," Lyle taunted him as he brought the top of his staff down from his shoulder in an attack, then followed up with a low-to-high blow from the level of his boots.

Rhys parried both of those smoothly, the clash of metal staff against metal blade loud in both their ears. Lyle quickly fell into the rhythm of his preferred weapon as he pressed his attack. High, low, low, high, each blow was parried by the Orakian blade. He watched Rhys' expression as they fought. Anger, though that was to be expected. Determination. Focus. But no hate. Interesting.

Their duel continued as Lyle pushed Rhys back. His staff had more range, more flexibility, more of everything when it came to battle. He had the superior weapon, so once he succeeded in cornering Rhys, it was only a matter of time until the Orakian went down.

Suddenly, Landen's prince refused to give more ground. Lyle caught the shift in Rhys' stance as his right foot pointed forward and he crouched back on his left leg. Even as he moved to interrupt the draw technique, Rhys' blade thrust toward Lyle's chest. A quick leap back prevented the attack from connecting, but it was a close thing.

"You don't know anything, Layan," Rhys said angrily as he removed the scabbard at his hip and sheathed his sword incredibly fast. "I'll show you just how ignorant you are."

"Do your best, _Orakian_," Lyle replied as he entered the range of Rhys' attack, his staff angled, its bottom by his left boot, its top by his right shoulder. Quick as Rhys was, Lyle was confident in his ability to block the draw.

The blade left its sheath, deadly metal given the speed of lightning at the hand of an Orakian. Lyle moved the top of his staff down and heard the clang of metal as he brought the bottom of his staff up. His blow would connect with the head of Landen's prince and knock him to the grou—

A powerful blow slammed into Lyle's head before he could finish the thought. He felt soft velvet on his face before he realized he was on the floor. Dizzy, he looked up in time to see Rhys' scabbard as it was brought down from shoulder height or so. Lyle tried to bring up his left hand to launch a Technique, but Rhys grabbed his hand and twisted it in a painful unarmed fighting grip. The Orakian dragged him up with his free hand. Before Lyle could say a word, Rhys headbutted him.

Stars danced in his vision as the headbutt was followed up with a particularly powerful slug to the face. It was entirely possible Lyle had miscalculated the physical strength Rhys had at his disposal.


	2. Chapter 2

Lena stared dubiously at the overfed Chirper that had taken to following her around ever since she had arrived in Shusoran. The cute little beast always looked peevish as it flapped around and squawked at her. A dreadful nuisance when she did things it did not like, which seemed to be just about _everything _she did. She had discovered, however, that food would make it behave, as would very tight hugs. Her hands on her hips, she stared down at the Chirper.

"I want to dig in the gardens. If you aren't going to behave, I'll smoosh you."

It felt a bit silly to be talking to a Chirper, but most pets seemed to understand at least some speech. This one certainly seemed to; it narrowed its little eyes at her in what Lena took for a displeased squint as its feelers shifted forward a bit before they returned to their original position. The answering squawk sounded more resigned than peevish.

"Good. Now let me change."

Lena began to tug at the long green strip of unstitched cloth that had been draped around her body by one of the girls in the castle. Shusorani… rather… _Layan_ fashion differed drastically from the dresses she was used to wearing. Layan women had blouses and petticoats like women in Landen and Satera did, but their crowning piece was the incredibly long drape they called a _sati_. The cloth was woven as one piece many feet long, plain on one end, with two long decorative borders running its considerable length and ending at the other end with that same border. The ones she had been gifted with were woven with elaborate designs that varied from the geometric to the floral to the figurative, but she had seen other girls in the castle wear drapes woven with precious stones or with scenes fit for a tapestry.

A moody sigh escaped her lips as she unwrapped herself. Other girls. _Layan _girls. But for the beautiful and exotic clothes they wore, they were just like her. They were Layan, yet they giggled and cooed over warriors and lords just like Orakian girls did. They were witches, yet they gossiped and danced like Orakian young ladies did. They were the spawn of the goddess of darkness, yet they liked to play in the sun just as much as Orakians did. What her eyes and ears told her couldn't be denied.

The Layans weren't the monsters of legend. They were _people_.

While she had confronted Lyle in Landen, the reality had not truly sunken in. A city...no, a _nation _filled with Layans, at war with Orakians, with another _country_ of them on two islands to the north. It boggled her mind.

To be honest, she still wasn't sure how Lyle had managed to get her here in the first place. When she had captured him in Landen, he had been nothing but cooperative and helpful. The green-haired man had not been discomfited even after she had tied him up using strips from his cloak. Lena had had things under control as he told his story, of another world locked in winter, of his search for the missing Maia, of his journey through a gateway barred by magic into a passage of technology, of his return to Orakian lands at her panicked insistence.

She had not believed him, of course. He had been so honest and sincere in his insistence that she found herself convinced into letting him prove one part of his story. They had marched to the Edge of the World, to the cave he had insisted had been how he had entered the world of Landen both times. True enough, they had not been able to enter as something invisible repelled them gently but firmly. The cave was as passable as a castle wall.

Of course, when she objected that he had not been able to enter despite the claims he had made in his story, he had insisted that sleeping at the boundary of the barrier was the only way it would reach out and let them in. So she had once again agreed to test his tale and they had made camp at the cave's edge. She had fallen asleep, her back to the rough rock, her needler in Lyle's direction should he try anything.

When Lena had awakened the next day, she had thought she was still dreaming. Somehow, they were at the bottom of a metal staircase, surrounded by more technology than existed in every foundry in the entire world combined. The transparent glass and dull gray metal that surrounded them was shaped into massive blocks and columns that blinked and hummed with activity.

From there, it had seemed like such a small step to continue through that fantastic journey through a mechanical story land. Such a small, necessary step to observe a world covered in unseasonable winter. Such a small, necessary, insignificant step to go on to witness a Layan kingdom.

_Lyle is a sneaky, conniving bastard_.

There was no real heat in that thought as she marched out of the rooms he had ordered set aside for his guest, dressed in her recently laundered traveling clothes. Just like him to "forget" he just so happened to be Shusoran's uncrowned King. There was something about Lyle that made people want to like him, a quality the scoundrel used to good effect. He was also cunning. One needed no more proof of that than the way he turned being a prisoner to his advantage.

For now, she was his guest. One that couldn't leave, but at least it wasn't the dungeon she would have tossed him into if their positions were reversed. Lyle had told none of his people she was Orakian before he had left to find a way to fix the weather, and she had kept to herself to avoid that little bit of information from slipping out. She dreaded to imagine what the Layans would do to her if they found out.

"Your pardon, my lady?"

Lena jumped when a soft, shy voice called out to her from behind. _They know, they've come to kill me, they're—_

She shut down those thoughts and turned to encounter a girl as short as Lena was, around her own age, a lovely young lady with big, soulful eyes and a head topped with green curls. She was dressed in a sky blue version of the _sati_ that looked exquisite on her. The girl extended her hands to offer her a white garment before she gave Lena a shy smile. "Um, I've noticed you like to go out to dig in the gardens, and it's still a bit cold, so..."

Lena took the gift, but before she could look at it, the girl turned and fled down the hall and rounded a corner. Lena unfurled the gift, a cozy shawl that would easily keep off the springtime chill. The only problem was the funereal white, but amongst the Layans, it was clear white was a very important color, as important as black was to Orakians. She couldn't reject such a thoughtful gift simply because the color was not a cultural fit.

The girl had peeked her head out to watch her. Lena smiled and waved her thanks. The girl smiled back before she left. With a sigh, Lena put the drape on her, determined to wear it no matter what.

That did bring up something important. The weather had grown sunny and warm recently. She could only suppose Lyle had succeeded in his efforts to fix the weather. That was for the good, as it meant an escape from the dusty library she had spent most of her time in. Though time surrounded by so many tomes had proven useful in more ways than one. Her hand curled lightly around the Moon Stone that hung a little above the knife between her breasts. Who would have thought the Layans of another world knew of this treasure?

The garden soil had softened from its winter hardness. Lena attacked the ground with her borrowed spade. The gardeners had not yet returned to their duties, wary that the warmth was a false lull, but as Lyle's guest, they had grudgingly obeyed her demands for gardening tools and seeds. Well, she was certain her Princess of Satera persona had helped. Either way, she had only taken the seeds she knew, wary of erring with unknown plants. She might be a guest against her will, but Lyle certainly wouldn't be able to claim she had not been a helpful guest.

She had lost herself in the soothing ritual of digging and sowing when a familiar male voice broke the silence. "Lena! Are you here?"

"Lyle?"

She stood up and stared. Sure enough, there he was on the flagstones, a touch out of breath as he surveyed the gardens, his pony-tailed hair a mess. She stood up and walked over to him, perplexed at his unannounced return. "What is the matter? Why are you he—"

"No time," Lyle replied. Before she could even gather breath to protest, he slung her over his shoulder like a sack of vegetables. What he said next drove the nascent outrage out of her head. "Rhys is here and we have to go."

"Rhys is here?" Her words came out in stunned squeak before she realized she was absolutely covered in dirt, mud, and grime. "Wait! Lyle! I'm filthy! He can't see me like this! No! _Stop!_"

Lyle took off running, her protest ignored. Rhys was here! Why was he in Shusoran? _How_ was he in Shusoran? He didn't know Lyle's trick to get to Aquatica! Did he? How? Why?

Those questions plagued her as they ran through the halls of the castle. Even with her over his shoulder, Lyle covered the distance between the throne room and the gardens quickly. The room was decorated with mosaics depicting winged dragons far more menacing than the one that had invaded Landen, their leathery wings blotting out the light as figures recognizable as cyborgs were blasted by their flames. The red carpet proceeded from the large double door straight to the silver throne on its dais, an elaborately designed piece shaped into a collection of dragons standing on each other, with wings, claws, and tails turned into the back, armrests, legs, and seat. The ceiling was covered with a series of gorgeous paintings of various women; the one woman over the throne was the most striking, a beauty with perfect cheekbones and straight nose, her eyes a dark blue that was almost black, her hair a marvelous length of gold, her only decoration beyond her red robes a red dot on her forehead.

Lyle set her down on the dais. "Sit here and try not to say anything."

"What? But Lyle—"

"Trust me," said the trickster with that ever-present smirk she could have etched into stone from memory with her eyes closed.

Lena snorted as she put her hands in her lap. "My mother once told me that whenever a man said that, it could only mean trouble," she replied dryly.

The violent roar of weaponry pulled her attention to the double doors and she gasped. Rhys was here. A tall, sturdy man in black armor fired a heavy weapon past the doorways as he retreated, one step at a time, into the throne room. Rhys and a redheaded woman she had never seen before slammed the doors shut together before he sagged against the doorway for a moment. Her heart filled with _something_ as she looked at him. He was weary, his blue clothes and white armor covered in blood, though none of it seemed to be from him. His face looked far better than it had been in Landen's dungeon, filled with that undeniable fire that was as much a part of him as his blue hair and eyes.

Rhys looked up and gave a start of surprise. He blurted, "It's her! How did she get here?"

She heard Lyle snort. "I found her."

Lyle _found _her? Well, that was _one _way to put it! Rhys' reply made her feel a bit better about it. "Please help me take her away, Lyle!"

"If you want her back, fight for her!"

Lyle brought his hand up and said a single word. "Foi!"

A fireball struck the ground Rhys had stood on as the Orakian prince dodged the surprise attack. "You're a Layan!" he shouted, outraged.

"That's right," Lyle replied as he lightly spun his staff. "As a matter of fact, I'm Prince of Shusoran."

"You led us into a trap! What have you done to Lena?"

_No wonder damsels in distress marry their rescuers,_ Lena thought as her heart fluttered. _They look so..._heroic_ when they act like that._

"Try to beat it out of me," Lyle replied with a sneer. "Let's see you really fight, Rhys! Foi!"

Lena gasped as first fire and then wind lashed out at Rhys, elemental attacks summoned by Lyle. The white cloak Rhys had worn was sacrificed to distract the Layan prince before the two men came together in close combat. Blade met staff as they dueled with intense ferocity; their metal weapons rang with the fierceness of their will to win. Lyle had the advantage as he pushed Rhys back. The Layan prince met his Orakian counterpart's attack with little effort. Anxiety filled her as Rhys gave foot after precious foot as Lyle taunted him.

_Win, Rhys, please win!_

Suddenly, Lyle leaped back to evade an attack from Rhys.

"You don't know anything, Layan," Rhys said angrily as he removed the scabbard at his hip and sheathed his sword within a heartbeat. "I'll show you just how ignorant you are."

"Do your best, _Orakian_."

Lena blinked. Metal clanged against metal before the scabbard struck Lyle in the side of the head. The Layan prince fell to the soft velvet of the room's red carpet. Lyle brought his arm up, but Rhys twisted the hand. The Orakian prince dragged his counterpart to his feet. Lena winced as Rhys headbutted Lyle and followed up the attack with a punch that made her teeth ache in sympathy.

First blood belonged to Rhys, but it was obvious that Lyle was not done yet. The Layan prince grabbed the blue-haired man by the collar and slugged him. Rhys held onto Lyle's cloak as the Orakian prince launched a powerful uppercut into Lyle's jaw. Lena grimaced as the two men held on to each other and traded vicious blows without remorse.

It was combat of the most primitive sort. Lena looked away as they continued to pummel each other. Whenever she glimpsed in their direction, she would catch one of them take a punch or kick before a vengeful blow came from the assaulted. An eternity dragged on before she heard someone fall.

"You're a lot tougher than I thought, Rhys," Lyle groaned from the ground. He gestured vaguely toward the throne. "Someone wants to speak with you, by the way."

That bruised face, with its split lip, right eye already swelling shut, turned to her. Even battered as he was, she still found him beautiful. She tried to be solemn to cover up the butterflies in her stomach as he approached her. "You've come a long way since we last met."

An imp of the perverse possessed her, however. Lena smiled. "What took you so long? I've been waiting!"

That wonderful laugh emerged from deep within his belly before he swept her up into a hug. She snuggled into the embrace and into him. It was such a wonderful feeling being in his arms. It was safe, warm, strong...

Lyle groaned again. "Mieu, Wren, would you kindly open the doors? I'm sure my people are outside listening, and someone there _has _to have healing skills. I feel like a stampede happened on my face and I don't want to _look_ like it did."

Rhys gently set her down as a wry smile tugged at his torn lips. He turned in Lyle's direction, his arm over her shoulders. "You deserved it."

"Yeah, I did. What's your point?"

She couldn't help it. She giggled. "Maybe that will teach you not to be so clever by half."

"It didn't. I'll just keep in mind that I don't want to engage in fisticuffs ever again."

Lena smiled up at Rhys, her arms wrapped around him. "You should probably do as he asks or he'll keep whining about it."

"Alright, alright," he said. "Mieu, please open the door."

"I'm sure His Gracelessness appreciates it," came the dry comment from the redhead.

"He does," Lyle replied, still stretched out on the ground.

Lena sat down and gently tugged Rhys to join her. As he stretched his legs, a swarm of people came in. Layan ladies in their _satis_ with their noblemen in their silks rushed in, Shusorani soldiers right behind them. It was quite a crowd. A double row of Layan women in red tunics drew arrows and aimed them at the throne, at Mieu, and at the black-armored giant Lena supposed was Wren. She felt tension fill Rhys' body before Lyle spoke up.

"It's fine, it's fine," the Layan prince said, gesturing vaguely. "Don't worry about it."

"But Your Grace, they're...!"

"Yeah, yeah, Orakians, I know. No big deal. The ugly lug is the one who fixed the weather. I mean the one on the dais, not the one with the big gun."

If the situation was not so dire and she could have captured the incredulity in every face and put it on a painting, she would have. No one knew where to look, so they alternated between their prince on the floor and the Orakian seated on the dais.

"But...Your Grace, he's just a..."

"Commoner? Actually, he's the prince of his kingdom. He's from Landen, by the way."

Trust Lyle to say the things that would leave everyone shocked in the most casual manner possible. Many gasped as they remembered that Landen was Orakio's kingdom. She would probably feel the same way if someone walked into Satera's throne room and announced she was related to the goddess of darkness.

Those archers all focused their attention on Rhys, his attendants forgotten. The bowstrings were taut, ready to release their deadly arrows. Wren and Mieu moved to Rhys' side, ready to defend him. Just who were these two that they were so ready to protect Rhys? Was this how things would end? Death by Layan arrows?

Everything balanced on the tip of a sword.

Someone pressed through the crowd. Lena was surprised to see it was the cute girl that had given her the shawl she now wore. The girl visibly trembled as she walked toward them, the pressure of hundreds of eyes on her back as people watched and weighed her actions. Everything depended on what happened next.

The girl shook like a leaf in a maelstrom as she stopped right in front of them. Her eyes were filled with fear and determination as she spread her arms. "W-welcome to Sh-shusoran. W-would you like h-healing, Prince of L-landen?"

Lena had to admire the girl. She was standing in front of someone that she knew was descended from the ancient enemy of her people, that to her was a powerful demon from stories that must have given her nightmares as a child, and was welcoming him. She was visibly terrified, yet there she stood. Lena looked up at Rhys.

A smile appeared on his battered face. "Yes, please. Thank you for the gift."

Dainty hands reached out and lay gently on either side of Rhys' face. "Res," said the girl.

Before her eyes, Lena watched in astonishment as the bruises and cuts faded from sight. Within a few moments, Rhys looked like himself, without blemish or harm. _Layan magic_.

"Oy, what about me?"

A squeak emerged from the girl's voice as she turned and raced toward Lyle. She fell to her knees and quickly grabbed Lyle's face. "I'm sorry, Your Grace, I didn't mean-I hadn't-it wasn't-I mean I'd never forget about _you_-I mean-aaaaaaah, Res!"

A moment later, Lyle sat up, looking exactly as he normally did. He flashed a smile at the girl who had healed him."Thank you, cute little lady."

It took the blush that suffused her cheeks for Lena to realize that the girl was in love with Lyle. She was suddenly aware of how close she was sitting with Rhys. _I saw him first. He was mine long before he ever came across _you_, you Layan chit._

Before her jealousy could continue speaking to her, Lyle addressed Rhys. "By the way, Maia's not here."

"Oh," said Rhys, a bit disappointed. Lyle was lucky Lena lacked his powers. She would have gladly set the green-haired man on fire for ruining the moment.

"Yes, your bride is in another castle," Lyle said with a shrug. "The castle of Cille, across the sea."

"I don't suppose you'd lend us a boat?" Rhys asked.

"I would, but Cille knows about you. Their navy is patrolling the straits. Nothing will sneak through by sea."

Lena took her jealousy by the throat and strangled it. She wanted Rhys to be happy, and right now, continuing his quest would make him happy.

_Keep telling yourself that_.

"Before we get Maia, we must backtrack a bit," she said firmly, startling both men. They turned their gazes toward her. "After Lyle abandoned me here to my own devices and before you fixed the weather, Rhys, I did a lot of reading.

"Once upon a time, a sand bar connected this island to Cille at low tides. The sand bar won't form unless the moon returns. According to the books, Orakio took the Moon Stone and the Moon Tear from something called the 'Tower of Climate' and drove the moons apart. If we find the Tower of Climate, we can use the stones to return the moons."

"The Tower of Climate?" Rhys looked at Mieu. "You don't suppose that weather control tower in Aridia is...?"

The redhead nodded. "The satellite control system is indeed within Climatrol. However, the keys to the moons were removed shortly before I was put to sleep by my master."

"I have the Moon Tear, but I've never seen this Moon Stone," Lyle said with a frown.

"That's perfect, then," Lena said contently.

"How is it perfect? Without the Moon Stone, we can't—" Lyle cut off abruptly when she drew the Moon Stone from its hiding place between her breasts. She flashed Lyle a cruel smile as she knew perfectly well what he was thinking.

"Return to Aridia and put my Moon Stone and Lyle's Moon Tear into the satellite control system. That will bring the moon back to its proper place and open a land bridge to where Maia is being held." Lena smiled up at Rhys. "Let's go rescue Maia!"

She didn't know when she had decided her course, but she was resolved to it. _All's fair in love and war. I have until we return here to get you to fall in love with me._


End file.
